Self-adjusting platform.



J. F. LOGAN.

SELF ADJUSTING PLATFORM.

APPLIoA'HoN FILED JULY 19,1999.

Patented ocu 19,1909.

IaenTs-snnn 1 INVENTOR'.

ATTORN EYS J. P. LOGAN.

SELF ADJUSTING PLATFORM'.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a, 1909.

937,375.' Patented Oct. 19,1909.

5 L 2 mummih 4 p INVENTOR 2 2 '7 .lames F. L ng aq ATTURNEYS J. F.LOGAN. SELF ADJUSTING PLATFORM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1909.

INVENTR'. Jamas F' LEE-I BY ATTORNEYS JAMES E. LOGAN, 0E NEWARK, NEWJERSEY.

SELF-ADJUSTNG PLATFORM.

specia'cation of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

ppucatin mea July 1a, i969. serial No. 507,323.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F .`LoGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-AdjustingPlatforms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of`reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in station-platformsfor railways; and, the present invention has reference, moreparticularly, to a novel platform which is adapted for use moreparticularly in the stations ofv subways and elevated rail` ways; and,which, in part, or as a whole, along the track is made with aself-adjust# ing element or elements adapted tol be actuated by themovement of an incoming train', and which operates to closeor bridgeoverany undue space between the edges ofthe station-platform and theadjacentl edgel portions of the car-platform, in order to avoid orminimize the danger of accidents to persons getting on or off thetrain-platforms. l v` l 1 The present invention, therefore, has for itsprincipal object to provide a novel and simply constructedself-adjusting platform which automatically adapts itself to the side ofthe trains, or the cars thereof, and is actuated by the incoming trainor car, to practically provide a continuous platform or gangway betweenthe platform, so as to cover or bridge overl any undue space between therespective platforms of the stopping car and the station, and especiallyso where the station-platform at which the trains stop is on a curve.

A further object of this invention is to provide a platform for railwaysin which the station-platform is provided with an automaticallyoperating self-raising element or member which, at the time when thereis no train in the stations, stands at a suitable angle along the edgeof the platfo-rm, so as to be raised sufficiently above the Vhorizontalplane of the platform to Aprovide a guide which acts asa notice orwarning to the persons standing` uponthe station-platform, while Waitingfor a t ain, not to get too near to the edge of the platform.

. Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of my present invention.

l llVith the various objects of the present invention in view, the sameconsists, primarily, in a self-adjusting platform for the railwaystations in subways or upon eleyjated railways; and, the inventionconsists, furthermore, inthe novel arrangements and combinations of thevarious devices and parts, as well. as in the details of theconstruction of the same, all of which will be more fully rdescribed inthe following speciiication andl then finally embodied in the clauses ofthe claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of thisspecification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich 1 Figure l is a plan view of a portionof a self-adjustingstation-platform showing one embodiment o f the principles ofthe presentinvention; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, saidsection being taken on line 2-2 in said Fig. l, looking in the directionofthe arrow a', and said view showing the various parts of theself-adjusting platform intheir normal initial positions when there isno train in the station; and Fig. 3 is afrontelevation, looking towardthe platform in ,the direction of the arrow y in said Fig., l, Fig. 4 isa horizontal section of the several parts,. said section beingl taken online -1-4 in 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of theself-adjusting platform, said view vrepresenting the several parts intheir adjusted positions when oper ated by an incoming train andstanding in. thel station 4to discharge and take on passengers. Fig. 6is a detail horizontal section taken on line 6 6 in Fig. 8; and Fig. 7is a detail vertical section, vsaid section being taken on line 7 T inFig. 4 of the drawings.

Similar characters of reference are employed in allof the abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts. Referring now to theseveral figures of the drawings, .the reference-character l indicates aportion of a stationsplatform of any usual. and well-known constructionas used in subway stations or on elevated railways, such platforms beingusually made of concrete, although this is not essential. As shown inthe accompanying drawings, in the present instance, the adjustablefeature of the platform comprises a suitably constructed frame which maybe made of any suitable material, and preferably of metal, the saidframe being suitably aiiixed in a depression, as 2, with which the saidplatform is provided. The said frame consists, essentially, of asuitably formed base-plate 3, a rear wall 4, a front wall' and anintermediately extending wall 6, said walls being of different-heights,substantially as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings. The saidwalls 5 andG are also connected by means of side-walls 7 and S,substantially as shown, and all of said parts being preferably formed inone integral piece with the said base-plate 3. Suitably secured upon theupper edge of the rear wall 4, preferably by means of screws 9, is aforwardly extending plate 10, of substantially the same width as thewidth of the depression 2, the said plate 10 having its forward edgeterminating above the upper edge of the wall 6, so as to leave asuitable space between said upper edge of the wall 6 and the lowersurface of said plate 10, substantially as shown, and the purposes ofwhich will be presently more fully specified. As shown, the said frontedge-portion of the said plate 10 is suitably chamfered or thinned downupon its under surface, as at 11. The said frame is secured in its fixedposition in the said depression 2 of the portion 1 of the platform bymeans of suitably formed anchor-bolts, as 12, which are embedded in thecement or concrete part of the platform, and the screw-threaded shanksof said bolts extending through the said base-plate 3 and being providedwith .nuts 13 for preventing the displacement of said frame. It will beevident, however, that the said frame may be otherwise permanentlysecured in its fixed position. The said front wall is provided withsuitably disposed holes 14, and the wall 6 is likewise formed withcorrespondingly located holes 15, each pair of holes 14 and 15 providingsuitable guides for the slidable arrangement therein of shafts or rods17. The rear endportions of said shafts or rods are provided withscrew-threads 18, and arranged upon each screw-thread 1S, so as to belocated against'the face 19 of the wall 6 is a regulating nut 2O and alock-nut 21. The opposite end-portions of the said shafts or rods 17extend for some distance beyond the face 22 of the wall 5, extendinginto and being suitably secured, preferably by means of pins 23, tosuitably formed receiving sockets 24, or other suitable fastening means,secured upon the rear face of a buHer-plate 25. This plate is verticallyrounded or chamfered upon its face in two places, as at 26. The saidplate 25 may also be provided with recessed portions 27 in which arearranged and suitably sccured, suitably formed boxes 28, each box beingprovided with a vertically disposed pin 29 upon which is arranged aroller or wheel 30.

Each wheel or roller has a portion extending from the open front of eachbox, substantially as represented in the several ligures of thedrawings, the purpose of which will be clearly evident, and will behereinafter more fully set forth. Each shaft or rod 17 is also providedwith a coiled spring 31 which encircles that portion of each shaft orrod located between the rear face 32 of the buffer-plate 25 and the face22 of the wall 5 for returning' the movable parts to their normalinitial positions, after the buffer-plate has been operated by the trainand then released in the manner to be presently described. Suitablysecured upon the rear surface of the said buffer-plate 25, by means ofsuitable bolts or screws, as 33, or other suitable fastening devices,are suitably formed retaining devices or holders 34 in which arearranged and held suitably bent portions 36 of rearwardly extendingoperating rods or bars 35, each rod or bar being pivotally connected,preferably by means of the perforated end-portions or eyes 37, pins 38,and

brackets 39, with the rear and chamfered or tapered edge-portion 41 of amovable guardplate or similar element 40. The said edgeportion 41 ofthis plate 40, in its normal initial condition, is arranged in the openspace formed between the upper edge of the wall 6 and the lower face ofthe plate 10, the chamfered or tapered portion of the guard-plate 40`being in engagement with the lower chamfered or tapered portion 11 ofthe previously mentioned plate 10, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. In its normal initial position, the said plate 10 is inthe angularly raised position indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, this raised condition of the plate 10 being caused by anysuitably formed spring or springs, as 42, or other suitably constructeddevices which will act in a manner similar to the spring or springs 42.The spring or springs 42 in this case have their end-portions 43suitably con- .-nected with the rear of the buffer-plate 25 by means ofscrews or bolts 44, while their end-portions 45 are slidably connectedwith the said guard-plate or element 40 by means of a guide, as 46, soas to permit of the oscillatory or pivotal movements of said plate 40.

Having in the foregoing description in a general manner described thegeneral construction of one form of self-adjusting platform for railwaystations, especially in subways and upon elevated roads, I will nowbriefly set forth the manner of operating these devices and parts bymeans of an incoming train, so as to close any unusual space 0r gap leftbetween the edge of the station-platform and the platforms with whichthe cars are provided.

It will be evident that the fixed part of the station-platform may beprovided with any suitable number of the gap-closing devices or elementsherein-above described, and that these devices may be of any desiredwidths; and, if desired, may even form the entire edge of the platformso as to insure the positive covering-over or closing of the space orgap between the station-platform and those of a car, when the train isat aV standstill in the station.

As a train enters the station, a portion of the one side of the movingtrain comes in slidable engagement with the buffer-plate 25, and withthe rollers or wheels connected therewith, thereby forcing thebuffer-plate, and the springcontrolled .shafts or rods connectedtherewith, in the direction of the arrow e in said Fig. 2. The result isthat the plate 40, being connected with the bufferplate 25 by means ofthe rods or bars 35 attempts to move in the same direction, causing thechamfered or tapered edge-portion 4l to ride against the lower chamferedorl tapered edge-portion ll of the fixed plate 10, thereby causing theoscillatory or pivotal plate 40 to assume the lowered position clearlyindicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and resulting in the closing orcovering over of the space or gap ordinarily found be` tween thestation-platform and the endplatforms of a car, and especially so wherethe station is placed upon a curve. As soon as the train moves out ofthe station, the car moves away from its active engagement with thebuffer-plate 25 and the various springs will cause the several parts toonce more assume their normal initial positions ready to be againactuated by the next incoming train.

While in the positions indicated in Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings,the plate l0 being raised at an angle at the edge of thestationplatform, such raised position will serve as a guard or warningto the persons upon the platform not to stand too near the edge of thesame.

Of course I am aware that changes may be made in the generalarrangements and combinations of the' various devices and parts, as wellas in the details of the construction of the same, without departingfrom the scope of my present invention as described in the foregoingspecification and as defined in the claims which are appended to saidspecification. Hence I do not limit my present invention to the exactarrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as set forth inthe Vsaid specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details ofthe construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

I claim l l. In a platform for railway stations, the

'ed to be actuated by an incoming train to bridge-over'the space or gapbetween the station-platform and the platform of a car.

3. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a buffer-plate, and means adapted to be actuated bysaid buffer-plate to bridge over the space or gap between thestation-platform and the platform of an incoming car when the latter isbrought in engagement with said buffer-plate.

4L. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a normally raised means forming a guard, abuEer-plate adapted to be actuated by an incoming train, and mechanismbetween said buffer-plate and said normally raised means for loweringthe latter to bridge over the space or gap between the station-platformand the platform of a car when the latter is brought in engagement withsaid bufferplate.

5. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of an oscillatory plate movably arranged with relationto said platform, said plate having a portion normally raised above thestationplatform, and mechanism coperating with said plate adapted to beactuated by an incoming train to bridge-over the space or gap betweenthe station platform, and the platform of a car.

6. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of an oscillatory plate movably arranged with relationto said platform, said plate having a portion normally raised above thestationplatform, a buffer-plate adapted to be actuated by an incomingtrain, and mechanism between said buffer-plate and said normally raisedplate for lowering the latter to bridgeover the space or gap between thestationplatform and the platform of a car when the latter is brought inengagement with said buffer-plate.

7. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of an oscillatory plate movably arranged with relationto said platform, said plate having a portion normally raised above thestationplatform, a buffer-plate adapted to be actuplate to bridge-overthe space or gap between the station platform and the platform of a carwhen the latter is brought in engagement with said buHer-plate.

8. In a platform for railway stations, the

- combination with the station-platform, of

an oscillatory plate inovably arranged with relation to saidstation-platform, a spring connected with said plate for normallyraising a portion thereof above the station-platform, and mechanismcoperating with said spring-supported plate adapted to be actuated by anincoming train to bridge over the space or gap between thestation-platform and the platform of a car.-

9. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of an oscillatory plate movably arranged with relationto said station-platform, a. spring connected with said plate fornormally raising a portion thereof above the station-platform, abuffer-plate adapted to be'actuatcd by an incoming train, and mechanismbetween said buffer-plate and said normally raised plate for loweringthe latter to bridge-over the space or gap between the station-platformand the platform of a car when the latter is brought in engagement withsaid buffer-plate.

l0. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of an oscillatory plate movably arranged with relationto said station-platform, a spring connected with said plate fornormally raising a portion thereof above the station-platform, abuffer-plate adapted to be actuated by an incoming train, rods betweensaid buffer-plate and said normally raised plate, and a means of pivotalconnection between each rod and said plate for lowering said plate tobridge-over the space or gap between the station-platform and theplatform of a car when the latter is brought in en'- gagement with saidbuffer-plate.

1l. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a buifer-plate provided with recessed portions. aroller in each recessed port-ion, and means adapted to be actuated bysaid buffer-plate to bridge-over the space between the stationplatformand the platform of an incoming car when the latter is brought inengagement with said rollers.

l2. In a platform for raih 7ay stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a buffer-plate provided with recessed portions, aroller in each recessed portion, a normally raised means forming aguard, and mechanism between said buffer-plate and said normally raisedmeans for lowering the latter to bridge-over the space or gap betweenthe station-platform and the platform of a car when the latter isbrought in engagement with said rollers.

13. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of

an oscillatory plate movably ar anged withl relation to said platform, aspring connected with said plate for normally raising a por tion thereofabove the statioirplatform, a buffer-plate provided with recessedportions, a roller in each recessed portion, and mechanism between saidbunter-plate and said normally raised plate for lowering the latter tobridge-over the space or gap between the station platform and theplatform of a car when the latter is brought in engagement with saidrollers.

14. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platforn'l, of an oscillatory plate movably arr; nged withrelation to said platform, a spring connected with said plate fornormally raising a portion thereof above the station-platform, abuffer-plate provided with recessed portions, a roller in each recessedportion, rods between said buffer-plate and said normally raised plate,and a means of pivotal connection between each rod and said plate, forlowering said plate to bridge-over the space or gap between thestatioli-platform and the platform of a ear when the latter is broughtin engagement with said buHer-plate.

l5. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a multiplicity ofupwardly extending walls, some of said walls being formed with openings,spring-controlled rods slidably arranged in said openings, abuffer-plate carried by said rods, a fixed plate mounted upon anotherone of said walls and having a lower chamfered edge-portion, anoscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion in engagement with thechamfered edge-portion of said Xed plate, and a connecting means betweensaid buersplate and said oscillatory plate adapted to move saidoscillatory plate to ride against the chamfered portion of said fixedplate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. Y

1G. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a baseplate, a multiplicity ofupwardly extending walls, some of said walls being formed with openings,spring-controlled rods slidably arranged in said openings, abuffer-plate carried by said rods, a fixed-plate mounted upon anotherone of said walls and having a lower chamfered edge-portion, anoscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion in engagement with thechamfered edge-portion of said fixed plate, and a connecting meansbetween said buffer-plate and said oscillatory plate adapted to movesaid oscillatory plate in an inward direction and causing the chamferedportion of said oscillatory plate to ride against the chamfered portionof said fixed plate, and a sprinP having its end-portions connected withsaid buffer-plate and with said oscillatory plate, Substantially as andvfor the purposes set forth.

17. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a multiplicity oiupwardly extending walls, some of said walls being formed with openings,spring-controlled rods slidably arranged in said openings, abuffer-plate carried by said rods, a fixed plate mounted upon anotherone of said walls and having a lower chamfered edge-portion, anoscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion in engagement with thechamfered edge-portion of said fixed plate, rods attached at one end tosaidbufl'erplate, and a means of pivotal connection between each rod andsaid oscillatory plate, adapted to move said oscillatory plate in aninward direction and causing the chamfered portion of said oscillatoryplate to ride against the chamfered portion of said fixed plate,substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 4

18. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a multiplicity ofupwardly extending walls, some of said walls being formed with openings,spring-controlled rods slidably arranged in said openings, abuffer-plate carried-by said rods, a fixed plate mounted upon anotherone of said walls and having a lower chamfered edge-portion, anoscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion in engagement with thechamfered edge-portion of said fixed plate, rods attached at one end tosaid buffer-plate, and a means of pivotal connection between each rodand said oscillatory plate, adapted to move said oscillatory plate in aninward direction and causing the cham- 'fered portion of saidoscillatory plate to ride against the chamfered portion of said fixedplate, and a spring having its endportions connected with saidbutter-plate and with said oscillatory plate, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

19. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a rear wall, afront wall and an intermediate wall, said front wall and saidintermediate wall being formed with openings, spring-controlled rods insaid openings, said rods being provided with screw-threaded portions,a'regulating nut and a lock-nut upon each screw-threaded portion, abuffer-plate carried upon the other end-portions of said rods, a fixedlate mounted upon said rear wall and havmg` a lower chamferededgeport-ion, an oscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion inengagement with the chamfered edge-portion of said fixed plate, and aconnecting means between said bufferplate and said oscillatory plateadapted to move said oscillatory plate in an inward direction andcausing the chamfered portion of said oscillatory plate to ride a ainstthe chamfered portion of said fixed p ate, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

20. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a rear wall, afront wall and an intermediate wall, said front wall and saidintermediate wall being formed with openings, springcontrolled rods insaid openings, .said rods being provided with screw-threaded portions, aregulating nut and a lock-nut upon each screwthreaded portion, abuffer-plate carried upon the other end-portions of said rods, a fixedplate mounted upon said rear wall and having a lower chamferededge-portion, an oscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion inengagement with the chamfered edgeportion of said fixed plate, and aconnecting means between said buffer-plate and said oscillatory plateadapted to move said oscillatory plate in an inward direction andcausing the chamfered portion of said oscillatory plate to ride againstthe chamfered portion of said fixed plate, and a spring having itsend-portions connected with said buffer-plate and with said oscillatoryplate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2l. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a rear wall, afront wall and an intermediate wall, said front wall and saidintermediate wall being formed with openings, springcontrolled rods insaid openings, said rods being provided with screw-threaded portions, aregulating nut and a lock-nut upon each screwthreaded portion, abuffer-plate carried upon the other end-portions of said rods, a fixedplate mounted upon said rear wall and having a lower chamferededge-portion, an oscillatory plate having a chamfered edge-portion inengagement with the chamfered edgeportion of said fixed plate, rodsattached at one end to said buffer-plate, and a means of pivotalconnection between each rod and said oscillatory plate, adapted to movesaid oscillatory plate in an inward direction and causing the chamferedportion of said oscillatory plate to ride against the chamfered portionof said fixed plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

22. In a platform for railway stations, the combination with thestation-platform, of a frame comprising a base-plate, a rear wall, afront wall and an intermediate wall, said front wall and saidintermediate wall being formed with openings, springcontrolled rods insaid openings, said rods` being provided with screw-threaded portions, aregnlating nut and a lock-nut upon each screwthreaded portion, abuffer-plate carried upon the other end-portions of said rods, a fixedplate mounted upon said rear wall and havi ing a lovver chamferededge-portion, an oscillatory plate having` a chamfered edge-portion inen agement With the chamfered edgeportion ot said iXed plate, rodsattached at one end to said buffer-plate, a means of pivotal connectionbetween each rod and said oscillatory plate, adapted to move saidoscillatory plate in an inward direction and causing the chamferedportion of said oscillatory plate to ride against the chamferedportionof said Xed plate, and a spring having its In testimony, that I claimthe invention 15 set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this tenthday of July, 1909.

JAMES F. LOGAN.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. IN. FRAENTZEL.

